New skills helping to overcome drought
People
As Project Compassion continues during Lent, Caritas Australia highlights how money raised is being used to help farmers in vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe to learn new skills.
Climate change continues to bring unprecedented challenges for people living in the most vulnerable and remote communities in Zimbabwe.
In 2022, an intense dry spell meant that many families were unable to produce sufficient crops, with many at risk of extreme hunger. More than half of Zimbabwe’s population, 7.9 million people, live in extreme poverty.
Priscilla drives her cattle to the dip tank near her home in Hwange district, north western Zimbabwe. Picture: Richard Wainwright
With the support of Caritas Australia’s partner, Caritas Hwange, Priscilla and her community learnt conservation farming to grow drought-resistant crops.
Priscilla lives with her husband and two grandchildren in the Hwange region and with her new-found knowledge she is now helping to train and support other farmers in her community to learn techniques to produce better yields.
Her increased harvest from conservation farming has enabled Priscilla to sell her crops and start poultry farming, selling eggs to grow her income stream and pay for her grandchildren’s education. Caritas Hwange also helped rehabilitate the dip tank in her community so that Priscilla’s cattle can be healthy and free from tick-borne diseases. Priscilla now has the skills she needs to diversify her income and support her family during the current drought.
The impacts of the COVID pandemic and the many crises that have struck the world over the past 12 months mean that many communities are in great need of support.
To learn more or donate to Project Compassion go to www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/ or call 1800 024 413.
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